What's your favorite thing about your Prius that you didn't know about before you bought it?

Cool, although we'd take issue with Toyota product manager Doug Cole's statement:

"Unlike the original Prius buyers, who wanted to be first with its innovative technology, the latest owners are far more conscious of foreign oil dependence and global warming..."

We Classic Prius owners were/are just as much tree hugger/progressive as any G2 Prius drivers.

Sadly, few people aside from other Classic drivers recognize our cars anymore for what they are. We don't have the badges on the side panels (the Smug Factor, as we cal them) *sigh*...

 

The acceleration off the line is really better than what I was used to. A very nice surprise.

 

I spent too much time on PriusChat before getting my Prius. I pretty much knew the car even before I owned one.

I suppose, if pressed, I would say that it is more fun to drive than I expected.

Tom

 

I didn't realize all the fun I would have driving my Prius, discovering something new about it almost every day those first few weeks, and meeting such great people here and at the Milwaukee Hybrid Group who have taught me so much about my amazing car! Thanks!!! :cheer2:

 

My kids thinking I drive a "cool" car.

 

I had no idea that I would be playing a video game of "make the battery charge" when I was driving. I find it to be great fun.

Edit: Ha! Beaten by Kens. Also, I didn't realize that I'd be getting around 400 miles on a tank when commuting to work (40 miles a day total)!

 

I didn't think my Prius would ever take me to the USA from Adelaide, Australia, but it did!! Well the Prius, Toyota USA and some wonderful friends.

 

Most surprising thing to me is how this car has made me rethink how I drive every day. And how enjoyable it's been trying to get the most mpgs out of it.

 

That it changed my approach to driving. I'm now much more at ease and relaxed when I drive (any vehicle, not just the Prius).

 

Voice commands to the climate control.

 

The continuously variable transmission gets my vote! It is amazing how it works. It gets the power to the wheels fast, whenever you need it!!!!!! Having hundreds (thousands?) of gears instantly available is my idea of performance!!!! :rockon:

 

Last night I had to mail back a Netflix once I got home from work. I stopped at the post office and put Preston in park, then hopped out and ran over to the mailbox when I realized I couldn't hear the engine. I actually said out loud as I jumped back in my car, "I love you Preston!"...I think it's so neat that the Prius is "on" but you don't hear it

 

I didn't realize how much I love the Auto A/C until I drove my wife's van, and had to fiddle with the temps so often!

 

How many mpg's my wife gets in her Prius to my Tundra.

 

My 2001's ability to hold a speed using cruise control far surpassed my expectations.

 

In my old car I used an MP3 player which I played through the car stereo via a cassette adapter. To get good sound I have to turn the volume up on the MP3, as well as way up on the car stereo. When I switch back to radio, I usually forget to turn the volume back down first, and then get a 100 db reminder that I should have done so...

So today I am driving home and listening to the MP3 via the AUX hookup, and volume was at about 35 on the Prius. I switched to radio and cringed as I had forgot to first adjust the volume. Yet the radio station volume was low. I checked further, and the volume setting was only around 13 - I switch back to AUX and volume is at 35...

Separate audio settings for each sound system mode. Not only the bass/treble, but it also even remembers what volume level you were last using for AM/FM/AUX,CD... how cool is that!

Maybe not my favorite, but another in the growing list of things that I am really enjoying about this car

 

I need to check mine again. I am pretty sure my 2009 does not have independent volume control between the CD (with mp3 capability) and FM modes, even though the equalizer is independent.

What is your 2009 manufacturing date? Maybe you have a newer revision?

 

I didn't expect to be wanting to drive the car just for the sake of driving it.